When the BlackBerry was first taking off, you'd hear stories about crazy employees hammering out reports one-handed on the train home. Back then, the idea of writing a whole email on a phonelet alone anything beyond a few sentencesseemed outrageous.

Fast forward to today and the idea of writing on your phone isn't so far-fetched. Screens are bigger, brighter, and much easier to see. Cramped button keyboards have (mostly) fallen out of favor in the face of larger on-screen keyboards. The hardware for a truly mobile office suite in your pocket is already here, and developers have not disappointed with their offerings.

Changing Criteria
When I was looking at Android office apps, I wanted something that could bring the essential tools from a desktop office suite. Not every single feature need be present, but I wanted to be able to create and edit Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents; have some kind of advanced editing optionslike comments or track changes; and be easy to use.

In the course of testing the apps, I added a few other criteria. For instance, I found that I preferred apps that moved away from nested file menus and instead presented the information in a way that made sense for smartphones. Cloud storage also became a large factor, especially with the close integration of Google Drive on Android devices. There were also little things, like whether or not an app could add pictures to a PowerPoint presentation, or adding cells to an Excel equation by highlighting them.

The Best of the Bunch
In the end, I didn't find any one app that fit all these criteria, but I did come pretty close. Some features, like version control through Microsoft Word's Track Changes, have remained all but impossible to find. That said, the mobile office landscape seems to be changing as app developers recognize what it takes to make a great office app. Even some of the free options are so high-quality that they've completely changed the face of this niche market.

I will say that as far as writing a novel on your phone goes, the technology just isn't there yet. It's still hard to see more than a few lines on a screen, and in my experience this leads to telegraphic writing. Furthermore, typing on a glass screeneither with thumbs or fingersis still a cumbersome experience, even on a tablet.

We're probably about one technological generation away from perfect on-the-go writing, but in the meantime these great offerings should meet just about any office challenge you might encounter.

Max Eddy is a Software Analyst, taking a critical eye to Android apps and security services. He's also PCMag's foremost authority on weather stations and digital scrapbooking software. When not polishing his tinfoil hat or plumbing the depths of the Dark Web, he can be found working to discern the 100 Best Android Apps.
Prior to PCMag, Max wrote for the International Digital Times, The International Science Times, and The Mary Sue. He has also been known to write for Geek.com. You can follow him on...
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